Anti-Washington Anger Triggers Highest Number of Congressional Challengers in 35 Years

WASHINGTON -- A potentially record-breaking number of congressional challengers are running this election year.

Discontent with incumbents and anti-Washington anger are boosting the numbers. More than 2,300 people are running for the House and Senate in the midterms, the highest number in at least 35 years. That's according to data provided to The Associated Press from the Federal Election Commission, which began tracking candidates in 1975.

Frustration, particularly on the right, with President Obama and his Democratic agenda appears to have contributed to the surge. The field is heavily Republican, with almost twice as many GOP candidates as Democrats, and several hundred independent and third-party challengers.